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Monday, August 13, 2018

Instant Pot Beef Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

Have you missed me?  I've missed you.  It's just been crazy busy, and I've been trying to really focus on being "present" where I need to be.  I feel like I have a bit of a better balance personally, and I'm excited to get back to blogging and share some things that friends and readers have been asking me about...a lot.

So...this whole Instant Pot craze?  (Or choose your brand of pressure cooker / multi-cooker.  I'm not sponsored by any of them, so it "makes me no nevermind."  *That was in my best Southern drawl.*  I'm from Texas, so it's a pretty serious drawl.  I once ordered "Sprite" at a drive through and got "fries." Spriiiiiiiiite.....friiiiiiiiiies apparently sound a little alike.)  I digress.  Yes, I really love my IP.  I use it for entrees, soups, rice, Jacque Pepin potatoes, yogurt, and more.

Confession:  I actually own two Instant Pots.  I have an 8 qt. that I use at home, and I have a 6 qt that we use in our travel trailer.  I might have a bit of an obsession.


That being said, yes, I *do* love to cook and bake, BUT...the whole purpose of the IP recipes are to make things a little easier and less work for those of us who don't have time or those that don't like to cook.  I'm hoping to share some of the recipes that I use in my kitchen to make this whole process a little less daunting.  (You need to read through your manual and understand the sealing, pressure release options, and safety measures.  I am not responsible for you using your specific model correctly.)  Confession #2: I owned an old school pressure cooker, but I *never once* used it, because it scared the bejeebers out of me.  Once you understand the IP, it's EASY (and not scary at all.)

So let's get to it!

Instant Pot Beef Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

"Sunday" Beef Pot Roast that doesn't take ALL. DAY. LONG.?  Yes, please!  There are a few tricks to make it TASTE like you spent all day on it, and it makes this IP recipe a little more involved than most of the others I'll share, but hopefully this helps you get comfortable with some of the features.

Gather your ingredients (or most of them at least...they aren't all pictured here.)  Pat your roast dry and generously season it with salt and pepper.  Put oil in the Instant Pot and select "Saute."  This part is important if you want it to taste like you REALLY invested time in your roast.  Yes, it's going to take some extra time, but I *promise* that it is SO worth it!  LET IT SEAR FOR AT LEAST 5 (to 8) minutes per side.  You want a dark brown "crust" on all sides.



OH!!!  Huge tip here (especially if you have a bigger IP like my 8 qt that's pictured): Get a set of LONG TONGS!  They are life-changing when working in the IP with hot oil and searing food.  My hands don't end up with 2nd degree burns if there's extra moisture that makes hot oil pop.  Drying the meat is important, but these help!  These are often used for grilling, but they are amazing when working in the IP, too.




 

Look at that crust!!!  Isn't it pretty?  It smells *so* good.  Remove the beef and set it aside.  Yes, the bottom of the pot looks like you should clean it out before you move forward, but PLEASE DON'T!  There's great flavor in there.  Throw your onions in, and as you saute them (yes, still...and you *may* have to press Saute again if you really sauteed all sides for at least 5 minutes.)  Scrape up the brown bits as the onions cook and help naturally deglaze the pan.  Again, I know this is longer than most IP recipes take, but in comparison to ALL DAY?  This is totally a win!  No, it's not a super-fast weeknight meal, but you can do it after you come home from a morning at church and a lunch out and still have it ready way before dinner time.  Once the onions are sauteed and really soaked up that meaty goodness at the bottom of the pot, add pressed garlic, tomato paste, bay leaves, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock, red wine (if using), and SOME carrots - not all of them, unless you like mushy carrots.  


These carrots are for flavor for now, we'll add carrots and potatoes later when it also gives you a fail-safe to check your meat. ;-)  I know, you're learning, and this is more stressful than you want it to be, but I've got you!  Set your pot to Meat, High Pressure, for 60-80 minutes.  (I do 80 minutes if I have the time.)  You'll get to check your meat before you "commit" to your veggies.


Confession #3: Guys, I'm nervous!  I haven't blogged in so long.  Blogging has changed in that time, and I'm hoping that you are enjoying this.  PLEASE tell me what you love, what you miss/want, and what *ugh...yes* even what you don't want that I'm doing.  The overwhelming response to my personal Facebook post makes me realize how many of you WANT to see these, but I want to make sure that I'm sharing the pieces you want. 

Get 1/4 Cup of cold water and add 2 T of cornstarch.  Swirl them into a slurry in a small saucepan.

When you hit the 60-80 minutes, you can Quick Release (turn the valve for the quick steam release.)  Again, if you have the time, natural release is actually preferred, but not mandatory.  Once it has released, open and add the small potatoes and 2 inch or "baby" carrots that you want.  Set on Manual High Pressure for 3 minutes.  Quick Release again when it's finished.

The top image (below) has the uncooked carrots and potatoes.  In the bottom image, you can see the carrots that I put in at the very beginning next to the ones I just added a few minutes ago.  The more brown carrots have been cooking for over an hour under pressure and disintegrate, but the more orange carrots are perfect!



You can ladle out a cup or 2 of your "juices" from the IP, and add them to your saucepan.  Heat on the stove and whisk.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Remove once it's thickened.  You have an amazing sauce for everything!  OR you can add the cornstarch and cold water mixture to your IP and select saute to do it right in the pot.

Serve your potatoes, carrots, beef, sauce, and fresh parsley.  So yummy!






Instant Pot Beef Roast

prep time: 10 mins  
cook time: 2 hour  
total time: 2 hours and 10 mins

Ingredients:


  • Beef Chuck Roast
  • 1-2 T Canola Oil
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 1 onion, sliced into strips
  • 5-8 cloves of garlic
  • 2-3 T tomato paste
  • 3 bay leaves
  • Rosemary, minced
  • 2 T Worcestershire sauce 
  • 2-3 C beef stock (2 if using red wine)
  • 1 C Red wine (if using)
  • Small Bag of peeled and cut Carrots (divided)
  • 15-20 Small potatoes (red, golden, or even fingerling)
  • 1/4 C Cold Water
  • 2 T Cornstarch
  • Parsley

Instructions:


  1. Pat your roast dry and generously season it with salt and pepper.
  2. Put oil in the Instant Pot and select "Saute."  LET IT SEAR FOR AT LEAST 5 (to 8) minutes per side.  You want a dark brown "crust" on all sides.
  3. Remove the beef and set it aside.
  4. Add onions to the IP, and as you saute them, scrape up the brown bits as the onions cook and help naturally deglaze the pan
  5. Add pressed garlic, tomato paste, bay leaves, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock, red wine (if using), and SOME carrots (just for flavor)
  6. Set your Pressure Cooker to Meat, High Pressure, for 60-80 minutes
  7. When cooking is complete, you can Quick Release (according to manufacturer's directions) or if time permits, natural release.
  8. Add remaining carrots and potatoes.  Set the pot to Manual, High Pressure, 3 minutes.  (If you like your carrots more al dente, then only do 2 minutes.)
  9. Mix water and cornstarch.  Set aside until the pot completes the 3 minutes of high pressure.
  10. When the 3 minutes is complete, do a Quick Release of pressure.  Ladle 1-2 C of the cooking liquid into the saucepan with the cornstarch and water.  Cook and stir over medium heat until the sauce thickens.  OR* add the cornstarch and water mixture directly to the IP liquid.  Select saute and allow the sauce to thicken in the pot.
  11. Serve roast, potatoes, carrots, sauce, and parsley garnish

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